After the President finishes his address to the nation, the opposition party — and more recently the Tea Party — gives a rebuttal. The result is almost always less-than-stirring.
Gerald Ford gave the first State of the Union response when he was the house minority leader in 1966. Since then, the response has become a ripe occasion for the political gaffe. Memorable responses include Michele Bachmann’s inability to look at the camera and Marco Rubio’s desperate need for a bottle of water. Most, however, go directly to the dustbin of history.
After the President finishes his address to the nation, the opposition party — and more recently the Tea Party — gives a rebuttal. The result is almost always less-than-stirring.
Gerald Ford gave the first State of the Union response when he was the house minority leader in 1966. Since then, the response has become a ripe occasion for the political gaffe. Memorable responses include Michele Bachmann’s inability to look at the camera and Marco Rubio’s desperate need for a bottle of water. Most, however, go directly to the dustbin of history.